Royal mail MINIMUM sizes for parcels? denied custom today!

cupid07

I went to the post office today as i sold a small pot of cream on ebay. I was denied custom as she told me my parcel was too big to post as a large letter and too small to post as a parcel. Dimensions measure 7.5 inches by 4 inches. She told me to go home and put it in a bigger packet. I have never in all my time selling come across this type of rude obnoxious behaviour from a cashier. Yet she didn't tell me what RM's "minimum" dimensions were for domestic parcels....just that mine didn't fit the minimum requirements. I am going to call up customer services on monday and complain about her behaviour toward me as i find it appauling, i have used this post office before and never had any problems.

can anyone confirm minimum dimensions? she told me if it went with parcel mail it may get lost!! surely its my decision how i want to post my mail? I am SO :mad:

ovoreo

I can't see any minimum size guidelines.
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1?catId=19100182&mediaId=95100764
Maybe pop your parcel into an envelope? I'm surprised the cashier didn't offer you something they sold to make it acceptable?

custardy

I would say she is talking nonsense
one you exceeed the large letter dimensions then its a packet

JPS29

Was there enough room for them to place the printed stamp on without obscuring the address?

cupid07

yes there was enough room for them to print out a parcel stamp thing and stick it on and also the address was clearly labelled and stuck to the left hand side. I have sent small parcels like this before from other places and never had any issues. As i said i am appauled at the treatment and am going to make a complaint. I have never heard of minimum dimensions either and she didn't elaborate on what she meant by that.

soolin

I think your post office was having a laugh. I would be tempted to make a formal complaint, they cannot make up rules just because they are in a bad mood.

cupid07

I fully intend to make a formal complaint, there was no grounds for them to deny me custom. I will ring up customer services and see how to make a formal complaint against her, I dont have her name but have the post office name, date and what time she was working so im sure they can find out who she is. It has really upset me being treated that badly for no good reason when i have been posting things for years and have never had any issues before.

greenoo000

Maybe she was trying to help you by saying something so small might easily get lost in the post, but didn't communicate it so well.

kurgon

cupid07 wrote: »

I fully intend to make a formal complaint, there was no grounds for them to deny me custom. I will ring up customer services and see how to make a formal complaint against her, I dont have her name but have the post office name, date and what time she was working so im sure they can find out who she is. It has really upset me being treated that badly for no good reason when i have been posting things for years and have never had any issues before.

What's the point in making a formal comlaint - all they will do is ignore it for 3 months the send you a book of stamps. If you don't like that you can go to their unofficial complaints procedure (postwatch) who they also ignore and holds no sway over them ...etc etc.....

paulofessex

I encountered a similar issue recently, l needed to post a 500mm by 100m roll of bubble wrap via Standard Parcels. The issue raised by the postmaster was not that it exceeded Royal Mails dimensions, but how it might not fit in the postman's van when he collects at the end of the day as he is only given a small van!!! He reluctantly accepted serving me as l argued that as l have not exceeded dimensions it is not my issue 'the customer' if the postman has a small van.

custardy

paulofessex wrote: »

I encountered a similar issue recently, l needed to post a 500mm by 100m roll of bubble wrap via Standard Parcels. The issue raised by the postmaster was not that it exceeded Royal Mails dimensions, but how it might not fit in the postman's van when he collects at the end of the day as he is only given a small van!!! He reluctantly accepted serving me as l argued that as l have not exceeded dimensions it is not my issue 'the customer' if the postman has a small van.

He is right though. Collection drivers collect vans from the delivery offices after the deliveries are made(in theory!)
so with the implementation of park and loop (2 in a van) the large LDV vans are being phased out
RM joined up thinking